Child Benefit is an allowance for people bringing up a child or children. Income under £50,000 per person or savings do not affect it, an amount is paid for each child. For example, if you are bringing up three children the total amount you get will be made up of three allowances.

Are you bringing up a child who:

* Is aged under 16?

* Is aged under 20 and studying full-time up to A level, NVQ level 3 or equivalent?

* Is aged under 18 and registered at the careers office for work or work-based training for young people (Skillseekers in Scotland)?

If YES to one, claim Child Benefit.

You do not have to be the child's parent to get Child Benefit.

You may get Child Benefit if you pay towards bringing up a child who does not live with you and no one else is claiming the benefit for them.

How much will I get?

Weekly amounts:

For the eldest child who qualifies weekly £20.70 for each other child who qualifies £13.70

Claim as soon as your child is born or comes to live with you. If you delay, you may lose benefit.

Get a claim pack from your Social Security office or by ringing the Child Benefit Centre on 0845 302 1444. If your child has just been born, you may receive a claim pack with your Bounty Pack from the hospital.

If the child goes abroad but you stay in Great Britain, you can usually only get Child Benefit for up to 12 weeks. You can continue to get Child Benefit for more than 12 weeks if the only reason the child has gone abroad is to:

- Receive full-time education in an EEA country or

- Take part in an educational exchange or visit with the written approval of the school or college they normally attend or

- Receive medical treatment for an illness, which began before the child left Great Britain.

We use full-time education to mean 12 hours or more supervised study a week at a school or college, up to A level or GNVQ level 3.

If you are going abroad, but your child is staying in Britain, the person who is looking after them should claim Child Benefit for them.